Winter Snow and Mistletoe
by Calypso Diangelos
Summary: Loosing faith in holiday magic, Will makes a desperate wish involving snow and mistletoe – a wish that seems to come true when Lucas and Sami decide on a ‘family Christmas’. But is it seasonal magic – or wishful thinking?
1. Midnight Wishes

Winter Snow and Mistletoe

By: Calypso

Disclaimer: I don't own Days of our lives.

Summary: Loosing faith in holiday magic, Will makes a desperate wish involving snow and mistletoe – a wish that seems to come true when Lucas and Sami decide on a 'family Christmas'. But is it seasonal magic – or wishful thinking?

~

Chapter 1 – Midnight Wishes

Will had given up writing to Santa Clause long ago – or so he claimed whenever anyone asked him about the practice. In reality, he hadn't so much given up on writing as he had changed the person to whom he addressed his letters. In his young mind, it occurred to him that on Christmas, Christ's birthday, God might have a little more pull than a fat man in a red suit. So for the third year in a row, with a patience unusual for a child his age, Will wrote his letter, made his wish and, (lacking a mailing address for God,) stuck the letter in his bible. "Third time's a charm," he whispered to himself fiercely before slipping into bed, "this time it HAS to work!" Before very long he had drifted off into a peaceful slumber

> 

* * *

In the next room, sleep managed to completely elude Sami. As she listened to the clock tick she tried not to think about the Christmas tree she hadn't yet put up and the apartment she hadn't yet decorated. More than anything, she tried to forget the look on Marlena's face this morning when she'd asked about Sami's Christmas plans. It was a look of pity, but, more than that, it was a look that contained the message 'you brought this upon yourself'. 

Unable to avoid these thoughts – and their implications, Sami got up and walked to the living room. Without looking, she knew that Will was fast asleep. _I can't stand it_, she thought, _I can't stand her pity_. As she sat down on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest, she suddenly realized that she was fighting back tears. Angry at herself, Sami fought back sorrow the only way she knew how – scheming. Suddenly, as if hit by a lightning bolt, Sami came upon an idea. Quickly, she went for her keys and, in her hurry, running out the door in her nightdress.

* * *

"Lucas!" Deep in sleep, Lucas thought that he was dreaming, much as he had during the previous summer. "Lucas, wake up!" Her voice was soft an cajoling, with a sleepy grin Lucas turned in the direction of her voice, quickly grabbing  her soft hand from where it rested on his shoulder and pulling her into bed with him. Turning, he effectively pinned her beneath him. "Lucas!" Her voice was suddenly panicky and Lucas frowned, this wasn't usually how his dreams went. "Lucas!" This time his name was accompanied by a gentle slap. "Will you wake up and get off of me?" Quite suddenly, his eyes snapped open. Shit, he thought, I'm not dreaming.

"Sami?" Surprised though he was, Lucas made no move to get off of or away from Sami. For a moment he simple stared down at her.

"No, it's the tooth fairy!" She answered sarcastically – and with difficulty since his weight on her upper body greatly restricted her diaphragm movement. "Care to get off of me? It might be easier for us to talk if I can breath." Had he been thinking clearly, Lucas would have immediately moved, as it was however Lucas was annoyed a Sami for waking him up so instead of lifting is weight off of her, he shifted his weight from his arms onto his torso, pinning her even more firmly against the mattress.

"Not until you tell me when you're sneaking into my apartment at one o'clock in the morning and depriving me of my beauty sleep." Sami tried to yell in outrage but was having trouble breathing. Seeing this, Lucas shifted off of her slightly but not before giving her one of his signature smirks.

"We need to talk about Will, and the holidays." Sami mentally grit her teeth, fighting hard to keep her cool and not lash out at him in anger the way that she wanted to. If Lucas was going to be receptive of her plan, it would be easier if they weren't arguing. "I would've come during the day but Will would've noticed and I didn't want to bring this up with him until we'd decided something amongst ourselves." Weak though the excuse was, she now had his full attention and Lucas let go of Sami, straightening into a sitting position as she did the same, leaning her body against the headboard. Because Sami was on the side of the bed that light didn't hit, Lucas failed to notice both her nightgown and the calculating look in her eye. She was only a shadow hiding in shad and as she continued talking he heard only her voice.

"I know that you technically have custody of Will this Christmas, but I was thinking maybe we could do a family thing." Seeing Lucas was about to talk, Sami raised her hand and stopped him. For once, Lucas obeyed and simply listened. "And I don't mean the thing we usually do where we have a lunch or a diner. I mean a REAL Christmas, the whole family trims the tree, decorates the house, that kind of thing. And when Christmas Eve rolls around that'll involve a whole two days Lucas. It'll be hard for the two of us but we could _try not to argue or bicker – just give Will his first family Christmas." As silence descended on the room, the same thought entered both Lucas and Sami's head. _This would be his first Family Christmas. In 10 years we haven't yet given him a REALY family Christmas.__

Lucas was suddenly guilt ridden, partially because it had never occurred to him before and partially because it was Sami that came up with the idea. "Sami – as much as I would love a real family Christmas why should I give up my quality time with Will so I can pretend to be getting along with you?" The words stung, and they weren't what Lucas had intended to say but it wasn't until it was too late that he realized this. Suddenly pissed herself, Sami got up from the bed.

"Like you have something better to do?" She asked with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sure Will would *love* to spend Christmas with crazy Grandma Kate I mean –."

"Sami – just shut up!" Leaping off of the mattress himself, Lucas glared at Sami. "This is about Will – not my mother." _Or…it suddenly occurred to Lucas that maybe this *was* about his mother. "Wait a minute; this __isn't about Will is it?" As Lucas' voice went from anger to arrogance, Sami froze in place. It really was true that he knew her too well. "This is about my mom and your dad. You're just trying to make up an excuse so you can avoid spending Christmas with them… and probably Marlena and John to." The confident smirk again returned to his face. "Well, well, look who needs me to 'lend a hand'_ again_." _

Flushed an angry at being found out – at least partially - Sami turned around and snapped at Lucas. "You arrogant bastard! For _once I try to do something right by this _family -_ yeah __family Lucas, because as much as we both hate to admit it that's what we are - and you throw it in my face." Picking up something on the nearby table Sami hurled it at Lucas. In the dark, she completely missed but the anger behind the motion hit its target._

"Damn it Sami, it's not _what_ you're trying to do that I'm against it's your freaking reasons. All your trying to do is use us – yeah that's right _us_ ME and WILL to your own ends and –."

"Shut up Lucas just –." So angry she couldn't think of something to say, Sami ended her tirade finding another object to hurl. This time, Lucas caught it and immediately dropped it onto his bed.

"Fine you want to do right by this _family then prove it!" Lucas stalked closer to Sami, knowing that what he was about to say was going to make her livid and not willing to have any more of his personal possessions thrown around. "Sign those annulment papers Brandon sent you so your son can see you moving on with your life. You do that, and this Christmas deal is on other –." _

"Don't you tell me to –." Sami cut off Lucas' sentence; in turn he cut off hers by pushing her against a wall and pinning her wrists near her shoulders. With more anger than fear, Sami realized that Lucas was holding her wrists so tightly that they hurt.

"Consider this an early Christmas present Sami because what I'm about to tell you is what you NEED to hear." Glaring at her, he dared her to interrupt. "Brandon doesn't give a damn about you anymore and you don't have any reason to keep hanging on to him. Will doesn't need him and you don't either. Your marriage was a sham from the start and there's no point in prolonging it – so just get off of whatever little daydream you're living in and just sign those damn papers!" 

Sami was angry, but more than anything the words made her want to cry. Lucas had just said everything she had been denying in her mind and to hear them out like that suddenly made al her denials seem weak and invalid. For the first time, she didn't try to outstare Lucas and only turned her gaze downward in shame – desperately trying to hide her tears. In the silence that followed, it wasn't Sami blinking back tears that Lucas noticed, it was her white nightgown. For the first time he realized that neither of them was wearing very much and that the only thing separating them was his boxers and the thin layer of white silk. Suddenly flustered he let go of her and stepped back.

"Screw you Lucas. Screw you." Angrily, Sami vehemently whispered the words at him before turning and stalking out of his apartment. When he heard the door click shut – Sami had more sense than to slam it and possibly wake a noisy neighbor – Lucas sat down on his bed and angrily berated himself for ruining what could've been the best – and only – family Christmas the three of them might've shared.

 * * * 

In her apartment, Sami sat on the couch with the annulment papers in front of her. As much as she hated Lucas for putting that ultimatum before her, Sami realized that she didn't have much choice – what he'd said about Brandon being gone had been painfully true. More importantly, (though she refused to acknowledge it,) the idea of divorcing Brandon was actually less awful than the idea of spending Christmas with Kate or a condescending Marlena. Silently, she looked hard at the annulment papers. Afraid to not sign, and yet not yet able to face the truth enough to sign them. _Please God, give me a sign._

As if God were listening, the door to Will's room suddenly opened. "Mom?" He whispered groggily, "What are you doing up?"

"Hey honey," Sami smiled as Will walked towards the Kitchen for a glass of water. "I'm just… looking at something." Sami watched her son, suddenly she seized upon something Lucas had said earlier. "Will, honey, how would you feel if Brandon never came back." From where he stood in the Kitchen, Will froze, trapped between protecting his mother's feelings and telling the truth. Being his father's son, he chose the truth.

"Mom, the only reason I never told you I didn't like Brandon was because he made you happy." He shrugged in a very Lucas-like motion. "I couldn't care less if he never came back but if it would make you sad…" Sami's face suddenly brightened, and she couldn't help from walking over to her son and giving him a quick kiss.

"Thank you." Not quite sure what his mother was thanking him for, Will yawned and went to bed. In the living room, Sami finally pulled out a pen, with a deep breath and a head full of excuses she signed the annulment papers as Lucas had asked.

* * *

"Here," Sami dropped the papers onto Lucas' bed, snapping on the light switch so he could see, "I signed the damned papers like you asked – but if you want this annulment to happen mail them out yourself." Lucas, for one, was speechless. When Sami had stormed out of his apartment an hour ago he hadn't expected to see her again that week – never mind that same night. Even more unthinkable, she had actually listened to him and signed the papers.

"Sami I…" At a loss for words, he simply didn't know what to say.

"Don't Lucas." Sami glared and assumed her most commanding tone. "I've done my share, now I expect you to try and make this work! No arguing for the rest of this month around Will and there is no way in hell your skipping out on Christmas. We'll discuss this at Breakfast tomorrow – try and show up on time." Without even giving him time to answer, Sami whirled on her heel and left – this entire night felt surreal. In his bedroom, Lucas pondered what had just happened and while he couldn't exactly sort it out in his head, he couldn't exactly keep from smiling either.

~ End Chapter 1

Feedback Appreciated – I apologize for typos but I just wrote this at 1am.


	2. Pine Nettles

Chapter Two – Pine Nettles

Lucas unlocked the door to Sami's apartment at 8:00am exactly. It being a Sunday morning, he knew hat Will was probably still asleep. In the kitchen, Sami was whisking some sort of batter and didn't even look up as Lucas came in. A nights sleep had cleared her mind somewhat and she was simultaneously shamed by and proud of what she had done last night. She was ashamed that she'd given into Lucas' demands about the annulment papers – but proud that she'd accomplished something for her son. Because of this she found herself unable to think of any action that wouldn't betray her one way or the other, causing her to ignore Lucas' presence even when she heard his keys clinking down onto the living room table.

Lucas, for his part, remained unphased. Without a word, he walked into the kitchen and began helping her. Oddly, he knew without asking what she was making, what she still needed to put into the batter, and where everything was. For a good fifteen minutes the two cooked in a companiable silence. From the corner of her eye Sami noticed that Lucas looked tired, which was true because hadn't slept at all that night. He had been so shocked by what Sami had done that he'd stayed awake just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Feeling pity instead of anger for the first time that morning, Sami broke the silence by quietly saying, "I'll put some coffee on for you." As she handed care of the frying pan and cooking pancake to Lucas in order to get coffee, Lucas was frozen in shock. Spatula in hand, he simply stood by the stove for fully half a minute as Sami pulled out coffee filter and filtered water. When she was done, she glanced up and made the mistake of meeting Lucas' eyes. Suddenly, Lucas felt the need to break the silence as well, stupidly however, he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"I uh... mailed out the annulment papers like you asked me to. Same Day Fed-Ex air. They picked it up at seven... Brandon should get them sometime this afternoon." Within the space of a second, Sami's anger had snapped back into place.

"Why you -." Her anger put Lucas back on familiar ground. With a smirk, he raised his hands in a defensive gesture and silenced Sami by pointing his head in the direction of Will's room.

"Hey, the no fighting thing was your idea remember?" Sami silently fumed for a moment, than, struck by an idea, she smiled. Pulling out a grocery pad and a pen, she began a list, naming it "Post Christmas to do list." Under the first item, she wrote "Yell at Lucas for being an Arrogant Bastard." The gesture, meant to convey her annoyance without causing an argument served it purpose by breaking the tension and elicting a smile from Lucas. 

"Hand me one of those." Now grinning herself, Sami handed Lucas a list and a pen. For a moment, he scribbled furiously than held it up for Sami to see. Under item #1 Lucas had written "teach Sami that Pancakes taste better when NOT burned to a crisp," With a look of horror on her face, Sami whirled around and attempted to salvage the neglected pancake currently sitting in the frying pan.

* * *

Will woke up to a sound that made him question his sanity - laughter. Mom's laughter... and Dad's. Surprised and amazed, he glanced out his bedroom door and looked around for where the laughter was coming from. When his eyes landed on the kitchen, he realized he wasn't imagining things. Mom and Dad really_ were_ laughing. Sami had something that looked incredibility charred in her hand and seemed to be trying to smear it on Lucas. Closing his door once more, Will allowed himself a big grin and listened carefully to the conversation behind the laughter.

"Sami stop! It wasn't my fault." Lucas couldn't keep from laughing even though he was trying to be serious. Backing away, he allowed Sami to corner him - overcooked pancake in hand.

"Wasn't it? YOU were supposed to be looking after the pancakes while I put coffee on." Seeing Lucas had no where to run, Sami allowed herself a wicked grin. "Besides, how are_ you _going to_ teach _me what tastes better if you don't know yourself." Hearing this, Will decided to rescue his dad. Opening his bedroom door, he tried to look sleepy.

"Mom?" Hearing her son's voice, Sami momentarily froze - giving Lucas enough time to take the pancake away from her and throw it into the garbage can. Will faked a yawn, and Lucas smoothly took over.

"Go brush your teeth and get dressed buddy, your mom and I are making breakfast." Nodding, Will did as he was ordered. In the kitchen, the silly mood had faded somewhat from both his parents. As Lucas set out plates and Sami continued to flip pancakes, the two began to talk out the details of the up coming Christmas.

"So are we decorating both apartments?" Sami asked, "I mean, it's fine if you want to do it that way but I had been thinking that since you practically live here anyway we _could_ just decorate my apartment and you can hang out here for the rest of the week. I mean - you'd obviously have to go across the hall to sleep but..."

"It would save us the trouble of putting up two Christmas trees and all of that stuff." Lucas finished her sentence with a grin, "Yeah, I'm fine with it - besides, it saves me from having to cook for the rest of the week... although since I'll be eating your cooking I'm not sure whether to be glad or terrified." Lucas was joking, but had Will not entered the kitchen at that moment, Sami would've snapped back at him. Seeing this, Lucas only further incensed her by grabbing the chocolate chips from a cupboard and handing them to Will for his pancakes. Smiling from ear to ear at both the chocolate and how well his parents had been getting along, Will sat down to breakfast happier than he'd been in a long time. 

As they ate, Sami tried to think up a way to retaliate for what Lucas had said about her cooking - the insensitivity of the comment aside, she did NOT like being thrust into the roll of 'the little homemaker' - least of all by Lucas. As the conversation turned towards putting up decorations and going to buy a tree Sami found her opportunity to retaliate - at least a little - by sticking in the comment, "We can't decorate until the house is clean Will. But since your father volunteered to help us, I'm sure we can be done in time to go get a tree and bring it back." Being in a good mood, and full of holiday spirit, the idea of a morning of chores didn't bother Will in the slightest.

After the table had been cleared and the dishes washed, the family began their cleaning. Will tidied his room and helped his mom dust. Sami neatened things up, returned objects to their proper places, dusted, swept, and wiped down tables. Her "revenge" came in the form of Lucas being forced to move heavy pieces of furniture from place to place in order to vacuum beneath them. At one point, while he was helping mop the kitchen floor, Sami offered Lucas a frilly white apron which he promptly threw at her. By lunch time, the apartment sparkled.

* * * 

"How about this one mom? Dad could get it into the apartment - I know he can!" Though eleven years old (AN: yes I know in real time he's 8 but in real time Sami's 19 so you know what. - I don't care.) Will couldn't help talking and acting as if he were six again. For the first time in years, Christmas felt to him like what it was supposed to be. As he pointed excited at a huge Christmas tree in the Christmas lot, Sami and Lucas exchanged weary glances.

"I don't know hon..." Sami wasn't even finished with her sentence before Will was running off to pick a different tree. Beside her, Lucas smiled and rolled his eyes. After their cleaning spree, the entire family had been tired, so rather than making Sami cook again they had ordered a pizza of which Lucas had barely managed to eat one slice when Will began clamoring that they go tree hunting. Unwilling to ruin his good mood, both parents had assented. 

For the next half hour, the three of them wondered around the lot, trying to find a tree to suit their purposes, at last they discovered a tree that was exactly what they were looking for. As they loaded the tree onto Lucas' car, someone on the other side of the lot watched them with amazement. Filling the thought away for later contemplation.

* * *

Lucas was determined not to give in. He was determined not to let Sami win. Even as he thought these thought's however - he couldn't help thinking that she'd already won. Somehow through one or two glib comments, she had tricked him into offering to carry the tree through the lobby, into the elevator, down the hallway, and into her apartment by himself. Behind him, Sami and Will each carried a bag of groceries - both trying not to smirk. With some trouble, Lucas maneuvered the tree into the elevator.

"Lucas maybe I could lend you a..."

"_Don't_." Sami giggled, Will didn't understand.

"But Lucas dear..."

"I said don't." Sami let out a full throaty laugh, and even though it came at his expense, Lucas couldn't help thinking that it was a beautiful sound. With a smirk he turned to his son.

"And _this_ Will, is why you never let your mother talk you into anything - when we were teenagers she once - mmpph." Not sure which anecdote Lucas was about to tell, and knowing plenty she didn't want him to be telling, Sami had pulled the nearest thing out of her grocery bag and shoved it into his mouth - which in this case happened to be a raw eggplant. Seeing this, Will finally ceased to hold back the peels of laughter that had been building inside of him at his parent's antics all day. When the elevator arrived at their floor Will was the first to get out. Not far behind him, Sami turned to Lucas and smiled.

"You know, I'm starting to like this not fighting thing." Sami joked. Smirking, she left Lucas to deal with the eggplant himself and followed her son into their apartment where she deposited the groceries on the kitchen counter. Sometime later, Lucas had managed to get the tree into the apartment (after Will had taken pity and removed the eggplant from between his teeth) and the family had begun to decorate the tree. 

The phone began to ring, but no one was able to get it, Sami and Lucas had their hands full and Will was on a stool, his head stuck inside a cabinet trying to find the popcorn. When the answering machine had played its message and thee voice on the end began speaking, Sami and Lucas froze. "Hi Samantha, it's Brandon. I uh... got the annulment papers today. Um... I guess I just wanted to let you know that. You did the right thing... anyway, I uh... guess everything's the way it should be now. Thanks. Bye."

For a few long moments, the tension was so thick that Lucas had trouble breathing. Hurt was so openly evident in Sami's eyes that Lucas would've strangled Brandon if he'd been nearby. As it was he couldn't help thinking that the bastard hadn't even bothered to say "happy holiday's". The silence was growing awful, Lucas felt that he had to speak just to end it. 

"MOM!!!!" Will's shout surprised both Sami and Lucas, who simultaneously made a run for the kitchen. When they got their they weren't quite sure what they were seeing. On the floor, lay a broken bag of flour surrounded by its spilled contents. On a chair, stood something akin to an eleven year old snow-boy. "I was going to get the popcorn and it fell on me..." As Will stood embarrassed, (and covered from head to toe in flour,) his parents tried hard not to laugh. They failed.

"Like mother like son I suppose." 

~ End Chapter 2 ~

AN: Tried for a little more humor and a little more Luminess - did I go overboard and go ooc?


End file.
